


His name was Ianto Jones .... he saved the world

by AnArrayOFCrieffs



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Episode audio drama: Coffee, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Post-Episode: Revolution of the Daleks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:35:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 4,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29515413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnArrayOFCrieffs/pseuds/AnArrayOFCrieffs
Summary: After blowing up the dalek ship Jacks back on earth, and back in Cardiff.But he’s not as ready as he thought to deal with the events of 11 years previously.(It’s not necessary to have watched revolution of the daleks or listened to coffee it will make complete sense without it)
Relationships: Gwen Cooper/Rhys Williams, Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an idea that’s been sort of playing in my head since Jack said he’d catch up with Gwen and stay on earth, what he’d feel about today’s Cardiff. 
> 
> After listening to the Big finish audio: coffee, the last line played in my head too.

“I’m going to stay on earth for a while ... catch up with Gwen Cooper she took a Dalek out with a moped and her sons boxing glove” 

Jack ended the call to the doctor sighing, not only was the world a small place the whole universe was and here he was in The one place he hated more than anything but the place he swore he’d never step foot in again. Yet when the doctor had taken them home, when she’d asked where he wanted to go, the word Cardiff had been out of his mouth before he’d even had a chance to stop it. place he’d called home for over a hundred years though, but the last place he wanted to be right now or ever. what did he do. He wasn’t totally sure he’d shaken off enough dirt of his boots. He hadn’t actually told Gwen he was in Cardiff, let alone staying. 

People piling out of the pubs and clubs, it was like it had never that there hadn’t been Daleks all over the country, labelled as security drones, dalek ships in the sky. That was always the case, he looked around the majority of these young people would have been the children the children he lost everything and sacrificed even more for. And here they were living their lives, he wondered what Steven would be doing now, would he be out enjoying his life with the other 20-somethings, did some of these kids even know him, and forgotten him. Were David and mica here, did they know what their uncle ianto had done. Did they remember him? 

He found his feet carrying him the old familiar direction down to the bay, last time he’d been here 11 years ago, as he’d wrestled him on the lift, as they’d shared that taste of each other desperate and hungry, the pain that ripped through him. 

He stood in the middle of the Roald Dahl plass, next to water tower, they’d done a good job of and like so many stared up at the words  
“in these stones new horzions sing”  
he’d seen those new horzions he’d promised them to the whole team to Gwen, to tosh andg Owen and to ianto, there wasn’t much he hadn’t promised to ianto. Oh ianto ianto, ianto, 

Was he really ready to deal with this... over a decade ago.  
He went down on the broad walk, where ianto had ambushed him with the best cup of coffee, he couldn’t get down on to mermaid quey, to the old tourist office it was blocked off. Work was being done.  
He sighed decided it was time to see Gwen, on the corner the little cafe he’d known as baps, the typical greasy spoon for many years, until ianto had befriended the owner, then it served coffee almost as good as iantos, and the best bacon rolls. The name had changed, it looked like a boutique coffee shop now. Everything here screamed ianto at him, he hadn’t even gone to iantos funeral, he still wasn’t ready for this. The pain cursing through him was worse than any death, he’d felt it before, sitting with his arm round Gwen looking at the young man in front of them, knowing the world was empty. Being surrounded by all those people tonight just living, he’s hoped it would make him feel full of life again but it just made him feel more empty. The way jaz had looked at the doctor, the way ianto used to look at him. He staggered to the taxi rank. 

“You alright mate” the taxi driver helped him in to the cab. Jack gave him gwens address.


	2. Chapter 2

Gwen smiled gratefully at Rhys as he handed her a glass of wine placing the bottle on the coffee table in front of the sofa, she cuddled in to him. 

What a day, the sort of day she’d thought were a thing of her past, the phone call that she’d received only hours later was not a voice she’d thought she’d ever hear again. 

Rhys stroked a hand through her hair comfortingly. He knew the memories any alien incursion caused for his wife, the grief and trauma it caused her. The way the colour had drained from her face when the prime mister had announced the defence drones, to be honest he hadn’t felt much better. They often wondered how easy it was for everyone else to forget. The universe kept proving that the world wasn’t alone, but time and time again people would turn a blind eye. Leave the doctor, unit or Torchwood to sort it out. 

Gwens thoughts wandered to the doctor, she’d met him briefly over the sub wave network, she thought of Martha, she thought of jack, of Owen, of tosh, of ianto. 

They’d tried to build a normal life, first in America, then returning to Swansea and eventually Cardiff. But as soon as she’d seen the daleks she’d grabbed dafyd’s boxing gloves and she’d “comendered” next doors moped. By comendered, she’d literally jumped on to the seat as next door had pulled in to the drive yelling back how sorry she was and riding off. 

Then she’d returned, and had to be mum, Anwen was only months old when the miricle had occurred, dafyd had never even known what she’d before his birth. So to see the terror the Daleks had caused for him at 7, was exactly what she’d wanted to protect them both from. 

And then when it was all over the biggest shock of all on the end of the phone, she’d nearly dropped the phone when she’d heard the words “hi Gwen it’s jack” a ghost from the past. Like the whole day sparks of an old life one she thought she’d closed the door on. 

She jumped out of Rhys lap when the door bell rang at , she looked at her watch 11.20 at night. It was a reminder of their time in hiding that they were cautious of callers at odd times, Rhys peered though the curtain he saw the unmissable great coat, although the body language of the owner was far from the cocky immortal they were used to. 

He beckoned his wife to see who it was and he went to the hall way to open the door. 

“Jack?!” Rhys opened the door allowing jack in. 

“Hello stranger ” Gwen threw herself at Jack not for hug but to hammer at him scream and cry “where the hell have you been” Eventually she slid down to the floor crying. Jack slid down too cradling her. Rhys realised jack was doing something he never thought he’d ever see the captain doing, they were both sobbing.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack woke with the smell of coffee brewing and bacon frying, it took a moment to realise where he was it all came back to him slowly, being back with the doctor, her offer for him to stay, just like a previous regelation had offered after the year that never was. And like the back then he’d refused, he’d come back to Cardiff, he remembered being the plass, the empty feeling, Gwen attacking him, him and Gwen sobbing in each other’s arms and he could remember no more. 

He stood in the kitchen door way taking in the scene, Rhys was cooking bacon rolls, Gwen sat at the kitchen table trying to encourage Anwen to concertante On her homework, anwen had been in her parents arms last time he’d seen her, she now was a copy and paste of Gwen, the dark hair framing her face, dafyd was playing a table, jack could see far more of Rhys in the little boy, but still had his mother’s dark hair. 

“Mum there’s a man in our house “ anwen says looking looking up. 

“Ah your awake.” Rhys turned around coffee?... anwen this isn’t just a man sweetheart this your uncle Jack” 

Gwen gestured for Jack to join them, Gwen patted the little girl on the arm “anwen, jack met you in America when you were very little, he’s staying for a while” dafyd climbed in to her mother’s lap “this is dafyd... He’s 7” 

Having met the children, jack had quite enjoyed the normality of the family life, it was so very different to anything he’d really ever had, not really, he’d had a glimpse of it with Lucia and when Alice was born but that hadn’t lasted long, until they’d gone in to witness protection and then his visits to the grown up adult Alice and Steven but he was very much just a visitor and Alice was always on edge when he was around, especially wary of allowing Steven get close to him With good reason Jack realised now. 

The life Gwen and Rhys had built seemed like like the contrast to the life they all once lived. He almost understood how people were in the managed to forget about aliens how they didn’t notice, after everything just yesterday, to the Williams there family were more important than a dalek in the street. Is this how everyone had forgotten the cyber man in every home, hadn’t even been aware of what Rose and the doctor had done, he remembered the grief when he’d read the list of the dead, how people of Cardiff had dismissed the incident with the sythvyn as earth quakes, how they’d not blinked twice at people slipping through time, how they’d been satisfied that the power station had just aborted the melt down, how many people hadn’t even been aware of the deaths in Thames house. For everyone else life just went on, people didn’t even know the sacrifices he’d Made. 

Now he was stood in the family living room, they’d decided to head in to the city centre so the kids could show him the sites. He needed some clothes if he really was staying so he hadn’t objected. He looked at the pictures on the shelves that were either side of the Tv. They were the sort of pictures he’d glimpsed over the years, school photos, pictures of Gwen and Rhys, the happy couple on their wedding day, he closed his eyes remembering the day, it hadn’t been as perfect as the picture seemed to tell, Gwen had spend much of the day in danger of being ripped apart by a nostovite. How she’d screamed at him that Torchwood weren’t spoiling her wedding and how they very nearly had. The picture of her and Rhys with both sets of parents either side. Then his heart had jumped at one slightly hidden it was another wedding picture. The bride and groom but next to them was tosh, he’d dispatched her to look after Gwen, Owen not dressed as if he was going to a wedding with his hand bandaged up as he could no longer heal, himself and there in his arms, ianto. He felt the tears raise again. They’d danced that night, the night he’d finally let go on of Gwen and committed himself to ianto. The only person that had ever made him want a piece of this, what would he and ianto be doing now, would they be married, would they have children, would ianto have quit Torchwood, could he imagine not having him in hub every day.

Rhys placed a hand on his shoulder breaking him out of his thoughts “we think about them all the time, talk about them all the time... ready to go?”


	4. Chapter 4

This is the millennium centre”anwen proudly showed jack the bay. Gwen looked at her friend his sadness so much deeper than hers. 

“Is the first time you’ve been back?” Jack nodded as he leant on the railings taking in the view, he took a deep breathe he’d always found this view calming, it had been his place when he needed to talk, at different times he’d brought them all out too have a heart to heart, where he’d stood with Gwen the morning after suzie tried to kill them both, where he’d stood with tosh after he’d sent Mary to the centre of the sun. where he’d stood with Owen after he’d beaten death at the hospital, where he’d stood with ianto so many many times, where ianto had finally talked about Lisa, where he’d clung to ianto talking about what had happened on the valiant, where they’d held each other after they’d sent Gwen home the night tosh and Owen died. 

Rhys exchanged looks with his wife, he grabbed dafyd’s hand “come on” he called to his daughter “who fancies the best hot chocolate in Cardiff” 

“You didn’t come to his funeral Jack” Gwen said

He shook his head, turning his back to the view, leaving on the railings watching the people busy, living their lives, young couples hand in hands, parents pushing strollers, tourists taking pictures of the towers, “look at them Gwen, their so busy living, they don’t even know his name, and your mad at me for not going to his funeral, he should be here, that should be us, he nodded towards a couple in love obviously enthralled with each other, that the rest of the world didn’t matter, but it’s not, it can’t be, because he was with me that he followed me in to danger” 

“Jack he wouldn’t have had it any other way” she sighed “you know when it was the three of us I used to deliberately stand back and watch you two, you all heroic marching in, in your coat, shouting your name and Torchwood, him beside you in his suit stern and brave It was like you both got a high from saving the world...it’s how you looked that day” 

“Maybe we did, but for what?” He sighed “and tosh and Owen, even susie what.. for them to not know. We used to be hated people said we walked all over this city like we owned but any crisis people turned to To us expected us to deal with it, now it’s like we didn’t even exist.so brave my boy and I want to tell every living soul their here because of my boy, because of ianto jones but their too busy living to care. When what do I get? And what does ianto get to be forgotten, while they all ... ” 

“Have you ever talked about him?!” 

“Who is there to talk too, no one cares, no one knew him, apart from you and Rhys” 

“Come on let’s go and find them, they’ll be at the cafe round the corner” 

“Baps?” 

“Ah it’s not called Baps any more”


	5. Chapter 5

Sergeant Andy Davidson strolled in to his favourite coffee shop, ianto had not been wrong it was the best coffee in Cardiff, he’d always had Baps down as a bit of greasy spoon and had been surprised when ianto had suggested it. He’d never got a chance to thank ianto for his recommendation. 

The first time he’d been here, the first time he’d met David and Kathy was when he’d been dispatched to inform them of ianto’s death. Not they had been particularly close to but ianto was fond of them. He’d left instructions in his diary, which he’d posted to Gwen the day they’d been forced out of Cardiff. Had he known, did he know he wasn’t coming home. Andy had always wanted to join Gwen at Torchwood but after the events of that week, he was pleased he never had. He thought policing was a dangerous job, but Torchwood. But it would have been typical of ianto to plan for every eventuality including not coming back home. 

Eleven years had passed, since that day, since he had walked in telling them his friend had recommended Baps for the best coffee in Cardiff and they’d asked him who his friend was and he’d said those so painful words “he’s name was ianto jones... he saved the world” he saw the couple behind the counter cling to each other the tears fall, he’d ushered the costumers out giving the three of them space. 

He smiled as he saw Rhys and the children sat around a table, he noted that the children’s hot chocolate had cream marshmallows and sprinkles, while Rhys seemed to be relishing his coffee if it was the last cup of coffee he’d ever tasted he’d be a happy man. Kathy always made extra special drinks and treats with the Williams and she did with him because of their relationship with ianto.  
David spied him and started preparing what Andy always ordered “I’ll bring it over” 

“Where’s Gwen recovering from yesterday with heavy retail therapy?!” 

“She’s showing uncle Jack the sights!” Dafyd pipped up 

“Jack?!?” Andy stammered “jacks back?”


	6. Chapter 6

Jack and Gwen got to what jack had known as Baps, it was very different as he’d noticed last night, painted in the fashionable burgundy red not unlike the ties ianto used to wear, mismatched refurbished tables for that at home look. It looked like exactly the sort of place that would serve a decent coffee now. It hadn’t back then, jack had never quite understood what ianto had found quite so endearing about it, today it looked much more like the sort of place some on obsessed with coffee would hang out, much more like the independent coffee shops ianto must have frequented in London.

Gwen smiled to herself spotting that Andy had also joined her family.   
If Jack thought that only he cared, only he missed ianto, here were three people other than her and Rhys that missed him. Who had pieced together their lives and carried on living. Living didn’t mean they’d forgotten him, in fact for them living was very much was their way of remembering him, and everything he was.

Jack had subconsciously registered that it was no longer called Baps last night, longer name but he hadn’t actually looked at what it was called now. the now in the in the afternoon light he looked up at the name IANTO’s. He frowned at Gwen as she pushed through the door holding it open for him, “best coffee in Cardiff” she hes gestured him inside and then quieter “people know his name Jack, people miss him too”


	7. Chapter 7

Kathy almost dropped the cup that she’d picked up to prepare gwens coffee when she saw the man in the great coat follow her through the door. She knew exactly who it was, there was a time that everyone in Cardiff knew what that swishing coat meant. And then she’d seen iantos the expression just mentioning his name 

“Bloody hell David it’s Jack”

“What iantos jack?!!” 

“Ah huh” 

David raised his voice, “ladies and gentlemen sorry we are closing in five minutes family emergency” he pulled a mug from The shelf and started preparing the perfect large black Americano much like ianto had taught him the day 16 years ago when he’d taught him how to use the old coffee machine, the day ianto had stolen a mug, saying he was going to ace a job interview with his coffee. 

Kathy apologised to the last person leaving and locked the door behind them as David brought their drinks over to the table. 

Gwen introduced them, and David and Kathy started telling stories about their time with ianto, how a cave man from the far future had appeared in the cafe, how David had hated ianto, how for some reason ianto had pisisted in making him like him. How they’d called ianto the day that the explosion ripped through the hub. 

“But all this tells me is what I already knew, I knew better than anyone who he was, I love that you all love him and knew him, and you can share that with me” Jack sighed “have you never ever had some on in your life who you’d do anything to get back search the entire universe for, look at any random stranger and go your life is poorer because you didn’t know them.... because that’s how I see everyone out there it’s an insult they don’t..” 

“I have” David said sadly “this used to be my mums cafe, she disappeared one of the rifts victims, that’s why I hated you, hated Torchwood hated ianto I just wanted you to do something” 

“But your sitting here laughing at our stories, in a cafe named after him” jack wondered if he might have finally found some one who understood the feeling that was a constant dull ache.”you don’t seem to hate him now” 

“No, do you know why?” He sighed because “he listened he couldn’t help he couldn’t bring her back, but he could listen. He sat here, actually at this table, and he listened, not about her disappearance, but about who she was, that’s what we do Jack, we sit here and we talk, we tell anwen and Dafyd, we tell our children, we tell people who asks if they m ianto and if I’m not ianto who is Ianto then, we can’t bring him back, we can’t help but we can listen, like he did” 

“Jack this place is here because of him, David and I are together because of him”


	8. Chapter 8

Andy listened to their stories, smiling, Gwen had always been his best friend He remembered the John tucker case that had seen her join Torchwood the day their lives changed. 

The last 11 years had been back to normal police work and Andy wasn’t sure if it was for the better.  
This city hadn’t been the same, it was funny how like most of the police 15 years ago, that coat and the simple name Torchwood meant bad news and some crisis was going to happen, but the last 11 years he’d longed to hear the words Andy step back special ops want access over and see the black suv roll in sight. 

He remembered that phone call from Gwen, In tears bewildered at what jack had done but mostly her voice full of grief. How just hours after the list of the dead from Thames house was published the first bunch of flowers had been laid on mermaid quay. How In the days and weeks they came, parents sobbing in relief as their child lay a flowers to a man they had no idea had saved their lives. Then there were the pictures, pinned to the old tourist information office door, they’d started as pixelated pictures of the man in the suit getting out of the suv, hastily snapped on people’s phones, then pictures of from the papers of the heroic duo, marching in to Thames house. Pictures of ianto from his days at Torchwood one. And the love letters, expressing regret at him not being there, and unspoken gratefulness for all he and Torchwood had ever done. 

“Gwen as a police officer what’s the first thing that we suggest helps bring sort of key to processing goodbye ?” Andy tried to express what he was thinking he knew both he and Gwen had seen the anger at no one else understood, the inability to comphend why and how everyone else’s life just continued was something many grieving families went through, often seeing the out pouring of emotion at a funeral would be the start of finding some peace. 

“The funeral, but Jack didn’t say goodbye ” Gwen frowned “no to big Andy, he can’t cope with our memories” 

“Been for a walk along the broad walk Captain?!” Rhys said understanding what Andy was talking about. 

“We can’t it’s blocked” 

“Then come, I’m one of the few people who can get down there”


	9. Chapter 9

Andy pushed aside the orange barrier. 

“Oi” a man in a hi vis and a hard hat sprinted towards them “you can’t...” he reached them “you can’t just come in here, there’s work going on” 

“Andy Davidson Torchwood” Andy said to the construction worker who sighed and just jack raised an eye brow at Gwen. Gwen motioned for him to follow Andy pulling the barrier back in to place

“Sorry what?! Since when have you been ...” his eyes travelled to the a sign he hadn’t seen before behind Andy 

His eyes fell to words 

IANTO JONES   
1983 -2009   
Torchwood 3   
GAVE HIS LIFE IN DEFENCE OF THE CHILDREN OF THIS PLANET 

THE MANAGEMENT OF MERMAID QUAY SALUTES YOU 

The tears began to fall, as he moved towards the board, 

Seeing the pictures he tenderly stroked his fingers over his young mans outline, breathing deeply, he began trying to read tribute notes. the large painted letters IANTO’s SHINE. 

“I don’t understand” he looked between Gwen and the tribute, “Gwen?” 

Jack traced almost every picture deep in his own mind, he was obviously rememorising every line on his lovers face, every expression. Stood close waiting to catch his weight if he needed it, while andy silently waited for him to process whatever he needed to do. 

“Jack, listen this isn’t easy, the way you feel is absolutely valid, and....” Andy earned himself a glare from Gwen knowing it was a well rehearsed speech they’d give to griving victims

“And blah blah blah once a family liaison always Andy I’m not some partner of a murder victim” 

“Arn’t you?” Andy cocked his head “So we aren’t standing in front of a massive shrine to YOUR boyfriend then” Gwen realised that I’m so many ways Andy was right. Yes ianto had willingly risked his life but the 456 had murdered him, they’d taken his life. 

Jack turned his back to the shrine sliding down it using it to support his weight. Bring his knees up to his chest, Gwen sat next to him, as close to him so he could feel her, get some comfort from her presence. Gwen wondered if this was a good idea. Forcing the loss with Jack. But Andy was right and they’d both seen it, being forced to accept the loved one wasn’t coming back and seeing what they meant to others was often the start of properly grieving. Jack of course hadn’t done any of that. This was the first time he’d seen what ianto meant to anyone beyond herself. 

“I’m not going to pretend we can even imagine what it’s like it is for you” Andy sighed “But we cried, we picked up the pieces, rallied around Gwen Rhys and Rhiannon, vowed never forget, then we started putting our lives back together. And yes we carried on living because we had too, because that way he did... don’t you see” Jack shock his head

“I promised him I’d never forget, but I can’t live with the memories of him” 

“And that’s what it’s actually about” Andy sighed, jack turned to look at him “you’ve never said goodbye because then you carry on running carry on trying to forget None of this is about Gwen and Rhys moving on, it’s not about people like Kathy David and me carrying on our normal lives it’s not even about Cardiff or the rest of the world knowing what he did. This is about you Jack and only you can change that” Gwen pulled him closer, trying to reassure him she was there: 

“I don’t I can’t I can’t say goodbye” 

“Then you carry on not living, hoping one day you’ll wake up and he’ll be lying next to you, until you eventually forget he was even part of your life. Or you say goodbye you stay let me help you” 

“Jack” Gwen said softly “is today the first time you’ve talked about him?” Jack nodded. 

“Then you haven’t been doing what you promised him Jack, because we remember him, everything about him, look at what your leaning against, people who never met him remember him, Cardiff remembers him. Always will” 

“Ready to start remembering?” Gwen kissed his forehead as Jack nodded.


	10. Epilogue

Set three months later 

Jack smiled at anwen and Dafyd through the window of the iantos. Meeting with them and Rhys Gwen and Andy had become their Sunday morning thing. The month had been one of the hardest for him. It had made him wonder if he’d made the right decision to stay. Having to face reality of what had happened with the 456, the terror of the parents, reliving their own fear, the decision, his decision that had lead to him losing everything, and ultimately sacrificing more, and most painful of all holding ianto in that room. Everything he’d wanted to forget, Everything he’d been running from. But Andy was right he’d stopped living when he’d returned feeling the overwhelming emptiness.

Over the last few months, these Sunday mornings were one of the things that started to reshape that overwhelming emptiness in to a ianto shaped hole, a gap that he was starting accept he could never fill, but what he could do is surround it by things he and Ianto cared about, and had their own ianto shaped jigsaw piece missing. 

He snuck behind the counter and started preparing himself a coffee, smiling to himself how isn’t I would react to him touching any coffee machine, kathy was serving a couple, with a little blonde girl perched on her mums hip. The little girl smiled at him he smiled back playfully. 

“Who’s that?!” The little girl cooed noticing the picture that sat on top of the coffee machine. 

“I don’t know darling, maybe it’s this lady’s family” 

Kathy followed the little girls gaze noticing that Jack was behind her and that the little girl meant the picture of ianto she worried about jacks reaction. 

“Ah he’s very special, not my family but a very special friend, the cafe is named after him” 

Jack placed a hand on her shoulder “his names ianto jones... he saved the world”


End file.
